Fruit basket



Sept 10,1929. G, Q RESHAW 1,727,617

FRUIT BASKET Filed June 13, 1927` @noem/tofs Patent@ sept 1o, 1929.

PATENT OFFICE.

- GEORGE o. naamw, 4011' BENTON Hannon, MICHIGAN.

FRUIT BASKET.

Application filed J'une 13,

In packing tree fruits for shipment by railway or truck, or for coldstorage, bushel baskets have to a large extent replaced theuse ofbarrels. There are two standard -5 types of baskets used-the so-calledround bottom basket and the fiat bottomed form known as a straight sidebasket. The round bottom basket is less expensive and lighter, and itsbottom affords effective ven- 1o tilation between tiers of stackedbaskets', for which bot-tom 1s upwardly bowed. The basket being offlexible wood strips, this upwardly bowed or'arched formation alsoprovides a cushion for yieldably supporting the fruit and preventingbruising thereof. However, when the packed baskets. are stacked innumerous tiers, the superposed weight often crushes the lower baskets,flattens their bot- 20 toms and thus destroys the Ventilating spaces andthe cushioning effect, and injures the fruit. For these reasons, thestraight side basket is rapidly taking the place of the round bottombasket. The straight side type well resists the weight which it iscalled upon to support, but-it is heavier and more expensive, and doesnot provide the effective ventilation and cushioning effect obtainedwith the round bottom. construction.

It is the aim of my invention to provide a distinct improvement in theround bottom bakset which will enable it to effectively meet allconditions encountered in its use,

without danger of breakage, without impairing the ventilation andcushioning effects, .and without materially increasing `either itsweight or its cost of production.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subjectmatter hereinafter described and claimed, the description beingsupplemented by the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a side elevation.partly broken away and in section, showing a basket` improved inaccordance with the present invention. Y L Y Fig. 2 isan enlarged detailsectional view through a lower portion of the basket.

urpose the central portion of the` 1927. serial m. 198,632.

In the drawing above brieflyv described. the numeral 3 denotes a commonform of fruit basket of the type known as a round bottom basket. Thenumeral -t denotes the basket bottom,v which bottom is provided with aperipheral portion 5 curving upward-4 ly to the side wall 6. The centralportion 7 of the bottom 4 is arched. providing a. space 8 which affordsventilation between tiers of stacked baskets or between the floor andbaskets resting thereon. As the basket is formed of thin wood strips ofyieldable nature, this arched formation also forms a lcushion forlyieldably supporting the. fruit and preventing bruising thereof. All ofthis is well known and is advantageous. and my invention aims tomaintain the basket in this desirable form, b v simple and inexpensivemeans.

The numeral 9 denotes a hoop having a 70 relatively narrow innerperipheral portion 10 and a comparativelyr wide outer peripheral portion11, well adapting it for engagement with the curved peripheral portion 5of the basket bottom 4. The hoop is permanently secured to the basketand its lower edge is preferably Hush or in the same plane with thelowest part of the portion 5 of the bottom 4. Thus. this hoopeffectively supports the 'curved bottom portion 5 against so downwardcrushing and against radial bulging, and consequently. the archedportion 7 of the bottoni cannot Hatten. nor can the lower end of theside wall 6 expand. Hence, under superposed weight, the lower portion S5of the basket cannot become broken or distorted with danger of injuringthe contained fruit, and the ventilating space 8 is. preserved..Moreover, the cushioning effect of the arched basket bottom ismaintained. and 90. it is an" important factor in shipping fruitvwithout bruising.

In the preferredform of construction herein disclosed, the hoop 9 is oftransversely stepped formation and the inner corners 12-13 of itsrelatively low and high steps, contact with the curved peripheralportion 5 of the basket bottom, corner 13 contacting with theportion 5substantially at its junc- 100 and the line at which the portion 5contacts with the supporting surface, provide through the outer hoop 11.from which the hoops 10 and 11 are formed,

vthree spaced lines of support for said portion 5, `preventingdistortion thereof. In order to provide this stepped formation and toproduce an inexpensive construction, the inner and outer peripheralportions 10-11 of the hoop 9, are preferably formed` from separatewooden hoops, as shown, the inner hoop 10 being of greater thickness.than the' The grain ofthe wood preferably runs in du'cing a strongerotherwise result. The two hoops are rigidly Secured together by the.lower prongs 14 0f a plurality of heavy staples 15 said lower prongspassing through both hoops 10-.11 and being clinched as shown at 16. Theupper prongs 17 of the staples 15, pass outer hoop 11 and through thebasket, to secure the entire hoop structure 9 to said basket, the freeends of the prongs 17, being clinched as at 18.

The staples 15 perform a three-fold'function. They tightly secure theinner and outer hoops 10-11 together,` they rigidly s ecure the` entirehoop structure 9 to the dii'erent directions, pro- -asket 3, and theyeffectively reinforce said hoop structure against splitting or breakageincident to rough handling.

It willbe seen from the foregoing that an exceptionally simple andinexpensive, yet an `unusually desirable construction has been providedfor carrying out the object of the invention. On account of theadvantages flowing from the exact construction disclosed, it ispreferably followed. However, minor variations may bc made and while inthe present disclosure, the lower edge of the hoop 9 is in the saineplane with the lowest part of the bottom portion 5, it might .be-.merelydisposed in the same plane with some other lowest part of the basketbottom, should the latter be of construction other than that disclosed.V

1. In combination with a Hexible basket having an arched bottom whoseperipheral portion is curvedupwardly to the side wall of the basket; ahoop of stiffer material than the basket upon which said upwardly curvedperipheral portion of said bottom is secured, said hoop contacting withsaid upwardly curved peripheral port-ion and having its lower edge in acommon plane with the lowest part of said portion, thereby preventingHattening of the arched basket bottom and holding the lower end of saidside wall against expansion.

2. In combination with a basket whose bottom is provided with aperipheral portion curved upwardly to the side wall of construction thanwould said hoops 'basket bottom is heldagainst flattening and Athe lowerportion of the basket wall is held against expansion.

3. In combination with bottom is provided with a tion curved upwardly tothe side wall of the basket; a hoop upon which said curved peripheralportion of the basket bottom is secured, said hoop being transverselystepped to provide inner and outer continuous .85 steps both contactingat their inner corners with said curved peripheral portion of the basketbottom, the loweredge of said hoop being ina common plane with thelowest part of said basket bottom, tom is held againstllattening andthelower portion of the backet wall is held against expansion.

4. In combination withV a basket having an arched bottom whoseperipheral portion is curved upwardly to the side wall of the basket; aninner relatively narrow hoop underlyingfandcontacting at its inner uppercorner with said curved peripheral portion between the lower and theupper extremities of the latter, an outer comparatively wide. hoopsurrounding saidinner hoop and conf tacting therewith, said outer hoopprojectin g above said inner hoop and havingits 10,. inner upper cornerdisposed infcontact with a the basket substantially at the juncture ofsaid upwardly curved peripheral portion of the basket bottom with theside wall of said basket,"and means securing the hoopsto-A gether and tothe basket, the lower edges of .being in'a common plane with the lowestpart of said curved peripheral bottom portion, whereby contact of thisportion with a supporting surface and contact of the sameV portion withsaid corners of said hoops, provide three lines ofA support for saidportion to prevent distortion there-j of, consequently holding thearched portion of the basket bottom against flattening and holding thelower Yfend of'thev basket side wall against expansion.

5. In combination ,with a basket having an arched bottom whoseAperipheral portion is curved upwardly. to the side wall of the abasketwhose peripheral por- SQ.

basket; an inner relatively narrow hoop unthe latter, an outercomparatively wide hoop -4 whereby the bot- 9 'the lowest part of saidcurved peripherall bottom portion, whereby contact of this portion witha supporting surface and Contact of the same portion with said cornersot' said hoops, provide three lines of support for said portion toprevent distortion thereof, consequently holding the arched portion ofthe basket body against attening and holding the lower end ofY thebasket side wall against expansion.

with said upwardly curved portion of the basket bottom to support thelatter against expansion and depression.

In testimony whereof I havehereunto- 1 aiiiXed my signature.

GEORGE O. RESHAW.

6. The combination of a basket comprising` an approximately cylindricalbody and a rounded bottom having a restricted seating part, with a hoopformed of laminated. strips with the outer strip having a greater widththan the -inner strip, said hoopy encirclingthe basket where the roundedbot-- tom merges into the cylindrical body and with the outer strip ofthe hoop overlapping the wall of the cylindrical body and ,attachedthereto', said hoop extending downward in cylindrical extension of thebody with its lower edge at the same level as the restricted seatingpart of the bottom, said -hoop providing an annular seating base for thebasket in otlset relation to the rounded bottom and operating to preventrocking of the basket on its rounded bottom and said hoop also servingto reinforce the wall o the basket at the bend therein.

T. A hoop attachment for baskets comprising approximately rounded stripswith the inner strip comparatively thick diametricallv and narrowvertically and adapted to function as a support, the outer strip beingcomparatively flexible and wide, the two strips being secured togetherwith their edges overlapping and the outer strip extending beyond theinner strip to form a flexible skirt at the upper side of the hoop.

8. In combination with a flexible basket whose bottom is provided with aperipheral portion curved upwardly to the side wall of the basket, acontinuous hoop surrounding and secured to the lower portion of thebasket to hold its side wall against expansion` said hoop having itslower edge disposed in the same `planetas the lowest part of' the basketbottom, and a second relatively narrow continuous hoop secured to theinner side of the firstnamed hoop and having its upper inner cornerdisposed' in contact

